Heads I cant win

As long as ther are no bent valves, or cracks in the castings, I've lapped the valves by hand, cleaned everything up real well, and put new seals and freeze plugs in and run heads for another year or two (or longer....) because I didn't have the $$ to go have them done. Was it the best, NO, did it still run? YES.... I'd find out what all is wrong and go from there....